Flip file cards



May 28, 1963 H. ENGELSTEIN ETAL 3,091,046

FLIP FILE CARDS Filed July 5, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TORS L-f/Apoaa 6/YGEL s 76/ 3 BY ANLEY Even srev/y May 28, 1963 H. ENGELSTEINETAL 3,091,046

FLIP FILE CARDS Filed July 5, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent3,01,tl46 Fill? FILE CARDS Harold Engelstein, 7 33 (Iaiirey Ava, FarRoclraway, lhY, and Stanley Engelstein, 45 Salem Road, Rosiyn Heigats,

Filed July 5, 196%, Ser. No. 49,852 7 Clairns. ((Il. 4tl102) Thisinvention relates generally to transparent filing envelopes andprotective display jackets, and more particularly to flip-file cardsconstituted by a series or transparent envelopes each of which isprovided with a acket display section and an oversize index chamber.

It is known to make use of so-called flip files for the purpose ofprotectively filing photographs, records and other forms of data.conventionally, such cards are made up of a series of transparentenvelopes mounted in staggered relation on a base card, the card beingadapted for mounting in a loose-leaf folder, a file cabinet or on afiling board. Each envelope is ordinarily in the form of a transparentjacket into which the picture or record may be inserted, the jacketbeing hinged to the card so that it may .be raised or fiipped upward toexpose the next envelope thereunder.

Attempts have been made to add index tabs or index chambers to suchenvelopes, but these have not proven to be commercially successfuleither because the index tab adds excessively to production costs or, inthe case of the index chamber, because it is difiicult to insert anindexing strip therein. Where the chamber for receiving the index stripis no wider than the strip itself, insertion is almost impossibleespecially when the strip is of fairly soft paper.

Accordingly, it is the primary purpose of the present invention toprovide a flip file having a jacket section for accommodatingphotographs or the like and an indexing chamber integral with the jacketsection into which an index tab may readily be inserted. It is a featureof the invention that the pocket or chamber for receiving the index tabis larger than the tab itself.

More particularly, it is an object of the invention to provide a flipfile of the above'described type in which the transparent envelope iscompartmentalized into a main section and an indexing chamber by meansof a ledge which serves to hold an inserted item in place and yet makesavailable the entire cross-sectional area of the envelope for theinsertion of the index strip.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a flip file of theabove-described type which may be produced efficiently and economicallyin large scale production and which may be sold at relatively low cost.

Briefly stated, in one embodiment of the invention these objects areattained in a flip fil card having envelopes in staggered relation, eachbeing formed by two superposed transparent panels joined at their ends.A strip is interposed between the two panels in parallel relation to oneend thereof and is joined by a spacer rib to the underside of the upperpanel to provide a ledge for supporting the lower margins of a pictureinsert, an index strip being insertable therebelow in the envelope.

In another embodiment, each envelope is composed of two superposedpanels, the first of which is longer than the second to provide anextension, 21 third and shorter panel being connected between the end ofthe extension and an intermediate point on the second panel to providean oversized pocket for receiving the index tab.

For a better understanding of the invention as well as other objects andfurther features thereof, reference is had to the following detaileddescription to be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing,wherein like components in the various views are identified by likereference numerals.

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In the drawings:

PEG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a flip file card inaccordance with the invention.

FIG. 2 is an elevational view, partially in section, of a singleenvelope taken from the card.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken in the plane of lines 3-3 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of another embodiment of an envelope inaccordance with the invention, and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the plane of lines 5-5 in FIG. 4.

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to FIG. 1, a dipfile card in accordance with the invention is constituted by a base card10 and a series of envelopes 11, 11a, 1112, etc., hingedly securedthereon in staggered relation. The card is provided with eyeletted holes12 by which the cards may be held in a loose-leaf binder or otherwisefiled. Each of the envelopes 11 is constituted by a jacket section 13into which a picture 14 or other record to be displayed may be inserted,and an indexing chamber 15 into which may be inserted an index strip 16for identifying the display record. Since the various envelopes overlap,ordinarily only the picture in the top envelope may be seen, as well asthe index strips of all of the envelopes. To observe a given envelope,one has merely to lift the envelopes lying thereover.

The envelopes 11, as best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, are made by folding asheet in half along fold line 17 to form a top panel 11 and back panel11". The sheet is made of acetate, cellophane, mylar or any othersuitable flexible transparent plastic. The lower edges of panels 11' and11 are joined together by a rib 18 of the same material, out colored,which also acts as a spacer to maintain the panels in spaced relation.The interconnection of the two panels forms a chamber 15 which occupiesthe entire area therebetween.

It is to be understood that the envelope may also be made by the use oftwo separate superposed panels joined together at either end by spacerribs. The envelope 11 is hinged to the card it by means of a fabricstrip 19, onehalf of which is cemented or otherwise secured to the uppermargin of the envelope and the other half to the card.

To form a picture supporting jacket within the chamber 15, a ledge isprovided in the form of a strip 29 of flexible transparent materialwhose lower margin is secured by a spacer element in the form of a rib21, preferably colored, to the underside of the top panel 11. Thus theledge is spaced from and is parallel with the underside of the top panelto form a channel for accommodating the lower end of a picture insert.

Thus the picture 14 is confined within the jacket area defined betweenthe fold 17 and the ledge rib 21. The index tab or strip 16, which ispositioned below the jacket area within the envelope, is substantiallyof the same width as the distance between ribs 18 and 21. The narrowspace between these ribs constitutes the window area for the index tab.Nevertheless, the tab may be inserted and removed without ditficulty.The reason for this is that the ledge is attached only to the top panelof the envelope and the entire cross-sectional internal area of theenvelope is available when inserting or withdrawing the index tab.

This greatly facilitates handling of the insert strips which otherwisewould be diflicult to manipulate in a confined space. On the other hand,there is sufficient gripping action between the top and bottom panels atthe point they are joined togetther by rib 18 to hold the index strip inplace.

In manufacturing, the envelopes, the various components thereof (i.e.,upper and lower panels, ribs and ledge strip) may be fed in acontinuousweb 'form into a combining mechanism wherein they are adhesively unitedin the manner described above, and thereafter sectioned to size. Arelatively broad paper web may also be fed into the combiner to form abacking in the jacket section for a picture insert and a narrower web inthe index chamber to provide indexing strips. Thus the manufacturedarticle will contain an indexing strip on which filing information maybe typed.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS.'4 and 5, three transparent panels 22,23 and 24 are provided. Panels 22 and '23 are formed by folding a sheetofi center so as to form on the first panel an extension 2211. A rib 25connects the free end of the second panel 23 to the first panel therebydefining a jacket section 26 to receive the picture. Extension 22aconstitutes the window through which the index tab may be seen.

The third and shorter panel 24 is connected at one end by a rib 27 tothe margin of extension 22a and at the other end by a line of adhesive28 to an intermediate point on the second panel 23. Thus a pocket isformed havinga width w substantially equal to the width of the panel 24for inserting an index tab to be positioned between the ribs 25 and 27.This makes it possible to insert the index tab so as to occupy arelatively narrow space. The flip file card is otherwise like that shownin FIG. 1.

While there have been shown what are to be considered to be preferredembodiments of the invention, it will be manifest that many changes andmodifications may be made therein without departing from the essentialspirit of the invention. It is intended, therefore, in the annexedclaims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within thetrue scope of the invention.

-What is claimed is:

1. A fiip file card provided with transparent envelopes in a staggeredrelation hinged to a backing, each envelope including means dividingsaid envelope into a jacket section for receiving a record to bedisplaced and an index chamber having a'window Whose dimension issubstantally the same as an index tab to be inserted, and a chamberextension communicating with said index chamber and overlapping saidjacket section to facilitate insertion of the tab into said indexchamber.

2. A flip file card provided with transparent envelopes in staggeredrelation hinged to a backing, each envelope being constituted by twosuperposed panels joined at their ends and a strip interposed betweenthe two panels in parallel with and adjacent one end thereof, said stripbeing joined by a spacer element to the underside of the top panel toprovide a ledge for supporting the lower margin 'of an item insertedbetween said panels, the space between said spacer element and said oneend of said panels providing a window for an indexing strip which may bereadily inserted in the larger chamber between the two panels.

3. An envelope comprising two panels of transparent i I a ",m-

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material joined at either end to define a chamber, a ledge secured tothe underside of the top panel and unsecured to the bottom panel toprovide a support for a record inserted between the ledge and one end ofthe panels, an index strip being insertable therebelow.

4. An envelope comprising a sheet of transparent material folded in halfto provide an upper and lower panel, a rib interconnecting the free endsof the panels to provide a chamber, and a ledge secured to the undersideof the upper panel and unsecured to the lower panel to provide a supportfor a record inserted between said ledge and one end of the panels, anindex strip being insertable therebelow.

5. A flip file card provided with transparent envelopes in staggeredrelation hinged to a backing, each envelope being constituted by twoidentical superposedpanels of flexible material formed by folding asheet in half and joining the ends thereof by a rib, and a stripinterposed between the two panels in parallel with and adjacent saidrib, said strip being joined by a spacer element to the underside of thetop panel to provide a ledge for supporting the lower margin of an iteminserted between said panels, the space between said spacer element andsaid rib of said panels providing a window for an indexing strip whichmay be readily inserted in the larger chamber between the two panels.

6. A flip file card provided with transparent envelopes in staggeredrelation hinged to a backing, each envelope being constituted by twosuperposed panels joined at their ends, the first panel extending beyondthe second to provide an extension, and a third and shorter panelsecured at one end to the margin of said extension and at the other endto an intermediate point on said second panel to provide an oversizepocket for receiving an index strip which is to lie against saidextension.

7. An envelope comprising first and second panels in superposedrelation, the first panel extending beyond the second to provide anextension, the second panel being joined at its ends to said firstpanel, and a third and shorter panel connected at one end to the marginof said extension and at the other end to an intermediate point alongsaid second panel to provide an oversize pocket for receiving an indextab dimensioned to lie against said extension. 7 l 5 References Cited inthe file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

5. A FLIP FILE CARD PROVIDED WITH TRANSPARENT ENVELOPES IN STAGGEREDRELATION HINGED TO A BACKING, EACH ENVELOPE BEING CONSTITUTED BY TWOIDENTICAL SUPERPOSED PANELS OF FLEXIBLE MATERIAL FORMED BY FOLDING ASHEET IN HALF AND JOINING THE ENDS THEREOF A RIB, AND A STRIP INTERPOSEDBETWEEN THE TWO PANELS IN PARALLEL WITH AND ADJACENT SAID RIB, SAIDSTRIP BEING JOINED BY A SPACER ELEMENT TO THE UNDERSIDE OF THE TOP PANELTO PROVIDE A LEDGE FOR SUPPORTING THE LOWER MARGIN OF OF AN ITEMINSERTED BETWEEN SAID PANELS, THE SPACE BETWEEN SAID SPACER ELEMENT ANDSAID RIB OF SAID PANELS PROVIDING A WINDOW FOR AN INDEXING STRIP WHICHMAY BE READILY INSERTED IN THE LARGER CHAMBER BETWEEN THE TWO PANELS.